SC Coronavirus Patient Traveled Through Charlotte Airport: Report

CHARLOTTE, NC — From travel restrictions to convention cancellations, the Charlotte metro region is beginning to feel the impact of the new coronavirus. The news comes as Charlotte-Douglas International confirms a South Carolina man who has tested positive for COVID-19 transited through the airport earlier this month.

Electrification 2020 International Conference & Exposition, initially scheduled to kick off April 6 at the Charlotte Convention Center, has been postponed, according to organizers.

“Your health and safety are our top priority,” Electrification organizers said. “Given the latest information on the coronavirus (COVID-19), we have determined that we must postpone our Electrification 2020 International Conference and Exposition. We are working on rescheduling our event in Charlotte for early 2021.

SEE ALSO: Second Coronavirus Case Confirmed In North Carolina

The announcement came close on the heels of last week’s cancellation of an international snack industry convention following widespread corporate travel restrictions.

“As a result of the impact of significantly reduced anticipated attendance related to recent corporate travel restrictions, SNAC International has made the difficult decision to cancel its annual main event, SNAXPO 2020, scheduled for March 22-24 in Charlotte, North Carolina,” said Elizabther Avery, president and CEO of SNAC International, in a statement. “In the coming days and weeks, we will be investigating all possible options, including rescheduling the event in 2020.

A patient in South Carolina who tested positive for COVID-19 recently transited through Charlotte-Douglas International, according to the airport.

“CLT received notification from [South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control] regarding a Spartanburg County resident who flew through CLT on his way home from Italy. DHEC says the resident was asymptomatic and at that time was not exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19,” the airport said Monday.

Throughout the country, companies are enacting restrictions non-essential travel for employees out of precaution. Last week, for example, major employers in the Charlotte region, such as Wells Fargo and Lowe’s, put in place restrictions. Wells Fargo is requiring executive approval for business trips, and the Mooresville-based home improvement retailer has curtailed all employee travel to Asia.

Globally, more than 111,000 people have been infected and over 3,800 people have died from the new coronavirus, Johns Hopkins reported Monday afternoon. Of that total, more than 80,000 cases are in China, while the entire United States has 600 confirmed cases to date.

It's caused by a member of the coronavirus that's a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses.

COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, including when someone coughs or sneezes. These droplets may land on objects and surfaces. Other people may contract the virus by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

Symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days following exposure. Most people recover from the COVID-19 without needing special treatment. The elderly and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems and diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness, the health department said.

Symptoms are fever, cough, difficulty breathing and pneumonia, resulting in anything from mild respiratory issues to death.

Those who are at risk have recently traveled to China; have close, personal contact with recent travelers to China; have close, personal contact with one who has been diagnosed with the new coronavirus; or care for those who have the new coronavirus, according to health officials.

Public Health Guidance On Virus Prevention:

• Do not go to an emergency room unless absolutely essential. Those with symptoms including a cough, fever, or other respiratory issues are advised to contact their regular doctor first.
• If you are sick, stay home.
• Commit to excellent personal hygiene, including regular handwashing and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Monitor the latest information on COVID-19 in North Carolina and across the United States:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services

What is the new coronavirus?
The symptoms of the new coronavirus are similar to seasonal influenza, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Both are infectious respiratory illnesses, but they're caused by different viruses.

Both cause fever, cough, body aches and fatigue, and both can result in pneumonia. Both illnesses can sometimes cause vomiting and diarrhea and can be spread from person to person by sneezing, coughing or talking.

Common good-health practices such as frequent hand-washing, covering coughs and staying home from work or school if sick, can help control both illnesses.

Neither respond to antibiotic treatment, but both may be treated by addressing symptoms, such as reducing fever.

There is no vaccine to protect against the new coronavirus as there is against influenza. Scientists around the world are racing to find a vaccine for the new coronavirus, although none currently exists.

Related:

• NC Coronavirus: First Case Confirmed, Linked To WA Outbreak
• NC Coronavirus: ‘Be Vigilant,’ Prevention Effort Urged In Schools
• Coronavirus: North Carolina Should Plan Now For Pandemic Says CDC
• Coronavirus: Mooresville College Student To Self-Quarantine